For some families, a haircut can feel like a lot more than a haircut.
Vernon Jackson, a barber and owner of Noble Barber and Beauty salon in Cincinnati, Ohio, opens his shop one day a month for what he calls “The Gifted Event,” offering free haircuts to children with specific needs.
Jackson told Today the most common medical conditions he sees are autism, Down syndrome and spina bifida.
He said many of the children worry about the sound of the clippers and the feeling of hair falling on their skin. “One child told me it feels like needles,” he told Today.
A video of Jackson cutting the hair of Ellison, a child with Down syndrome, went viral on TikTok and has drawn more than 3 million views. In the video, Ellison smiles and tells Jackson when to “stop” and “start” with the clippers.
“Every child is different and I need to be present with them and meet them in the moment,” Jackson told Today.
For Ellison’s mother, Julie Eubanks, having Jackson cut her child’s hair brought relief.
“I’m always in the state of anticipating the worst because you never know with these types of situations with Ellison, or with any kid with special needs, they can turn with a blink of the eye,” Eubanks told WLWT. “I was trying to enjoy it and record and peaking my head out of the side of my phone to be like, ‘Is this really going on?’”
TikTok commenters praised Jackson’s approach.
“Thank you for having such a kind soul with these precious children that just need a little extra attention in a different way! This is awesome,” Jackie Griggs wrote.
“Hard to tell who had more fun here. This is great!” Carrie Deal added.
Jackson has also set up a GoFundMe so people can donate free haircuts to children with disabilities. The fundraiser has received more than $200,000 in donations.
“As a barber, I saw the need for a place where children with disabilities are supported during a haircut and an environment where parents or caregivers don’t have to explain their child’s behavior or apologize for something they may do or say,” Jackson wrote on the GoFundMe page.
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